Calm Cat

Hello!

I'm back again with my fist DT project of the year, so happy 2015 everyone!

Along with lots of you, I have a few goals that I want to achieve this year...pushing myself into getting better at things I'm scared of! One of those is embracing my own handwriting. Hate it, think it looks rubbish....which is precisely why I need to do it more! My creation today has handwriting on, and more than a little washi tape! Another 'goal' - use up my stash!

Here it is...

I've got lots of step by step pictures for you to look at....

Going along with the theme of 'use what you have', my substrate for this page is something I'm sure you all recognise...

A good coat of gesso later and you're all ready to start..

Gather up your washi tape, any colours and designs, the more the merrier! Tear strips, and then start to add them to the page.

Save even the tiniest ripped bits, as you can use them at the end to fill in any gaps. Create a colourful washi background...

Now, I'm going to be adding lots of wet media on top of the tape, so it really needs to be all sealed. I have given the whole thing a thick coat of clear gesso...

I used a thick coat because I wanted to scribe into it, creating more texture...

The thick coat means it dries a little more opaque than a thin coat would, but once dry it is pretty much clear!

As a comparison, the pic below shows a before and after...

   No gesso..............................Dried clear gesso!

The gesso gives a great 'tooth' for the media you are about to start layering up!

Add a bit of paint..

I have smeared tiny amounts on with my fingers, trying not to obliterate the washi tape, but adding colour in the blank spaces. A little white paint blends things nicely, and tones down the stark clashing washi colours so the whole page looks more cohesive. I added a little stamping and printing...

This is the basic background finished.... any doodling and edging will be added after the image/words are in place!

I collaged my weird quirky figure using a mixture of stamped images and hand cut shapes...

Once she was glued in place, it really looked like she was meditating...so I thought the word 'calm' would be a good one to use! I practiced on scrap paper before drawing it on lightly in pencil, then used acrylic ink in a waterbrush to actually write the final version. 'Calm' was SO not the feeling actually using the ink directly on the page!

The washi background shows through wonderfully, giving colour and pattern in a funky but understated way....

So..... there it is, first one of 2015!

Hope you like it!

See you soon,

Trish xxx

Disco Puffin?!

Hello!
Anyone else remember that deeply cheesy song in the seventies called Disco Duck? I have absolutely no idea why, but it was playing in a loop in my head over the weekend! So, rather than ignore it, I decided to use it as inspiration for my project this week.
Now, I have no duck stamps, so may I present......Disco Puffin!!!

(This could also be titled 'random ways to use Washi tape', but I don't think that's as catchy.....)

The whole disco bling look is captured perfectly with the metallic Washi tape... I used the dotty tape for the disco podium floor..

As the dots are random, you can put multiple strips of tape side by side, and they look fabulous!
The silver striped tape goes around the sides of the podium...

I didn't take it off it's backing paper before wrapping it around the base (an empty ribbon spool) I wanted an opaque look rather than transparent, and liked the sturdiness of the tape + backing, rather than the thin tissue like tape once peeled off!
Disco Puffin is also sporting gold glitter go go boots....

I'm not even mentioning the glitter pole.... what Disco Puffin does in the disco, stays in the disco.....

LOVE this tape....and I may even break the habit of a lifetime and get my hands on the matching papers! (ssshhhhh...don't tell anyone I said that!!)

Have a fabulous day!
Trish xxxxx

You are so worth it!

Hello!
A little inspirational message from me today....... with a stack of birds!

A colourful painty background, lots of layers..

A little washi tape and some melted in UTEE to give some splatters...

I stamped the birds onto tissue, then stuck them to the background using Mod Podge. Each one was done individually, to form the bird stack!

I used Prima stickers (Sun kiss) for the words....

Nice and bright and cheerful for a Sunday morning!
Have a great week everyone!
Trish xxx

Creating a blog banner.

I admit this is a little bit different from the normal type of blog post, but I had an urge to freshen up my blog header with a whole new look. As I was working it dawned on me that I could make it into a blog post on A Sprinkle of Imagination and maybe inspire some of you to do the same.

I started out with a piece of watercolour paper 30 x 10cms and used just the stars from an Andy Skinner stencil called Hippy Chick to spread texture paste through. 

Once this was dry I used watercolour to add the dreamy background. I simply add water to the paper first then touch the paintbrush loaded with paint to the wet paper and let it spread as it wants to. 

I am so in love with Ranger foil cardstock as it cuts beautifully. The shine on the butterfly and frame  is magical but sadly it was so difficult to capture that in my photography. The border along the bottom is Jenni Bowlin washi tape and it has a gorgeous lace pattern.

Once I was satisfied with my piece I put it into the computer and changed the size to 900 x 300px. I'm using blogger but you may need to check the size if you use a different blog host. 

I added the title and my name on the computer and hit save. Done! Now all you need to do is go into your blog dashboard and upload it onto the blog.

'Simples' as they say. 

Jaine